Sony selling chip facility to Toshiba

[Cyorg]

Sony selling chip facility to Toshiba
Includes lines for PS3 Cell microchips

Sony is in negotiations to sell its microchip production facilities to Toshiba, and an agreement is likely within a few months.

According to a Reuter's article, the sale is part of Sony's strategy to shed costly semiconductor assets and focus on the production of products such as image sensor chips used in digital cameras and camcorders.

The sale, worth approximately USD 869.7 million, includes production lines for the Cell microchip used in the PlayStation 3.

Neither Sony nor Toshiba responded to the report in the business daily Nikkei, but earlier this year Sony had said that it planned to cut back on future chip spending and may not produce next-generation microchips in-house.

Sources reported that Sony is considering setting up a join venture with Toshiba after the sale, to secure a stable supply of chips for its game machines.

gamesindustry.biz

[BigRick]

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...ight=Sony+Sell

[Matt X]

for a blu fan, on the surface this looks like blasphemy, but I guess it makes sense..............

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=8925

[Sonny]

get a ps3 while u still can...........LOL

[Terjyn]

Not only is this not new news...

Toshiba helped co-develop Cell.

Seriously, learn how massive companies work. Just because one branch is a competitor doesn't mean that companies don't work together elsewhere.

[maximiza]

Cool

[msallaq]

Originally Posted by Sonny

get a ps3 while u still can...........LOL

i already got 2 of them.

[BTBuck1]

Believe it or not, this is good news for blu-ray. Lowers production cost on cell chips, which in turns lowers cost on PS3 & BD players(potentially using cell) which in turn can lead to lower prices, which leads to more adoption.

[E-Dogg]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3162886

[becomingwater]

What does it say, its blocked here at work? thanks

[E-Dogg]

Originally Posted by becomingwater

What does it say, its blocked here at work? thanks

Sony in Talks to Sell Cell Manufacturing Plant
Sony looks to cost-cut and streamline its chip manufacturing unit
By Kris Pigna, 09/17/2007

It was reported via Reuters over the weekend that Sony Corp. was in negotiations with Toshiba to sell the chip manufacturing facility where they produce the PlayStation 3's Cell processor.
The deal, which is reportedly in the range of 100 billion yen ($867 million), would be part of Sony's strategy to streamline its pricey chip-manufacturing division by outsourcing their production, allowing Sony to focus more on their consumer-electronics. Sony originally partnered with Toshiba and International Business Machines Corp. to develop the Cell processor.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Tomio Takizawa, a Sony representative, said "We are considering various options for our advanced chip production. Nothing specific has been decided." Keisuke Omori, a representative for Toshiba, also denied the deal was final.

However, the Japanese business paper Nikkei, which originally reported the negotiations, said a deal was likely to be reached within a few months.

[Amel]

it has been posted few days ago

[takezo]

Originally Posted by Matt X

for a blu fan, on the surface this looks like blasphemy, but I guess it makes sense..............

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=8925

already posted on another thread.

Toshiba did help them make CELL processor. CELL is also ment to be a bussiness solution for IT infastructure as the Next Gen Server processor.

Basically if Cell is only on Ps3, CELL is a failure. CELL is not part of Blu-ray technology. It's just a processor that is inside the PS3 that powers Blu-ray playback, just as fast Processors on your PC alow you to watch Blu-ray or HD DVD. Infact you could play both on a fast PC if you have both HD DVD drive and a Blu-ray drive.

Basically CELL is a super fast Processor, nothing more. Beside it's not like Toshiba is going to start equiping HD DVD players with Cell processors, that would be dumb, cause it will cause prices to sky rocket.

[Zaphod]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

Believe it or not, this is good news for blu-ray. Lowers production cost on cell chips, which in turns lowers cost on PS3 & BD players(potentially using cell) which in turn can lead to lower prices, which leads to more adoption.

Definately on the plus side of things...however, wouldn't it really suck if Toshiba purchased the division and then completely shuts down production to thwart the sales of PS3's and thus hindering Blu-ray? With Toshiba and the HD-DVD camp throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at companies, what is to say they wouldn't do this for $900 million.

Highly unlikely I know, but not impossible...

[Manco]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

Believe it or not, this is good news for blu-ray. Lowers production cost on cell chips, which in turns lowers cost on PS3 & BD players(potentially using cell) which in turn can lead to lower prices, which leads to more adoption.

....which leads to Toshiba making Blu-ray players.

[u_nick]

I dont see the irony? Didnt Sony and Toshiba develop the Cell together?

[Razzy]

Originally Posted by u_nick

I dont see the irony? Didnt Sony and Toshiba develop the Cell together?

Yes, along with IBM I believe.

[DezNutz]

If this is not stupidity, I do not know what is.

not only has this been posted before, but it is not ironic in any way.

[clownface]

Sony has denied this, check out QJ.net for the story.

[Zaphod]

Originally Posted by clownface

Sony has denied this, check out QJ.net for the story.

Sony DENIES EVERYTHING.